Trump Administration Dropped Controversial Climate Report From Its Decision to Rescind EPA Endangerment Finding

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) formally rescinded its 2009 endangerment finding, which had recognized greenhouse gases as a threat to public health and welfare, effectively rolling back a cornerstone of federal climate policy. Notably, the EPA excluded a controversial 2023 Department of Energy (DOE) report that claimed the dangers of human-induced climate change were overstated, despite initially citing it during the proposal phase. The final rule instead rested on a legal interpretation that the Clean Air Act does not authorize the EPA to regulate emissions based on global climate change concerns, a stance that contradicts the 2007 Supreme Court decision in Massachusetts v. EPA. In the final rule, the EPA stated it would not rely on the DOE report due to concerns raised about its scientific validity and noted it did not engage with the DOE’s Climate Working Group, a now-disbanded panel of climate skeptics. The agency emphasized that its decision was grounded in a reevaluation of the Clean Air Act’s statutory authority, concluding that Section 202(a) does not empower the EPA to set motor vehicle and engine emission standards aimed at addressing climate change. This legal interpretation underpins the agency’s position that the 2009 endangerment finding lacks a sufficient legal basis. The move marks a significant shift in federal climate policy under the current administration, potentially weakening regulatory efforts to curb greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles and other sources. The original endangerment finding had served as the legal foundation for numerous EPA regulations targeting climate change mitigation. Critics argue that the rollback undermines decades of scientific consensus and legal precedent, while supporters claim it corrects regulatory overreach. This development occurs amid ongoing debates over the federal government’s role in addressing climate change and the limits of agency authority under existing environmental laws. The EPA’s decision may face legal challenges, as courts have previously upheld the agency’s authority to regulate greenhouse gases. The ruling also raises questions about future climate policy and the potential need for new legislation to address greenhouse gas emissions comprehensively.